Honestly, if you had told any Manchester United fan a week ago that Michael Carrick would step into the technical area and immediately dismantle Pep Guardiola’s tactical machine, they’d have laughed you out of the pub. But here we are. It actually happened. Old Trafford wasn't just loud today; it was defiant.
Who won on football today? The Manchester Derby shocker
The big headline for anyone asking who won on football today is undoubtedly the Manchester Derby. United walked away with a 2-0 win over City. It wasn't a fluke. It wasn't a "park the bus and pray" situation. Carrick’s side looked energized, focused, and—dare I say it—actually dangerous on the counter.
Bryan Mbeumo found the net in the 65th minute after a sweeping move that started with Bruno Fernandes. The place erupted. Then, around ten minutes later, Patrick Dorgu sealed the deal. He beat the City defenders to a cross from Matheus Cunha and side-footed it past Gianluigi Donnarumma.
City looked... lost. Bernardo Silva admitted as much after the whistle, basically saying they lacked the energy to match United. This isn't just a bad day for the blue half of Manchester; it’s a massive dent in their chase for Arsenal at the top of the table.
Premier League: Breaking down the mid-afternoon chaos
Away from the derby, the 3:00 PM kick-offs provided the usual mix of heart-stopping moments and "how did they miss that?" highlights.
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- Chelsea 1-0 Brentford: The Blues held on, but it wasn't pretty.
- Liverpool 1-0 Burnley: Florian Wirtz finally broke the deadlock in the 42nd minute. Before that, it felt like Burnley’s low block was going to hold forever. Curtis Jones deserves a lot of credit for the assist there.
- Sunderland 1-1 Crystal Palace: A real scrap at the Stadium of Light. Enzo Le Fee managed to cancel out Palace's opener, and both sides seemed content with the point by the end.
- Spurs 0-1 West Ham: Crysencio Summerville silenced the home crowd early on with a deflected shot. Spurs huffed and puffed, but the Hammers' defense was like a brick wall today.
Leeds and Fulham played out a scoreless draw. Honestly, it was a bit of a snoozer compared to the drama elsewhere, though Leeds will probably feel they should have nicked it.
The European Landscape: Giants and Underdogs
Across the continent, the story of who won on football today shifted to the usual suspects asserting dominance, with a few notable exceptions.
In Spain, Real Madrid hosted Levante. If you’re a betting person, you know how that usually goes. Madrid controlled the tempo from the jump. Meanwhile, in Italy, Udinese had the unenviable task of trying to stop Inter Milan. It’s always tough when the Nerazzurri are in this kind of form.
Napoli took on Sassuolo at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. The atmosphere there is always electric, and today was no different.
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Bundesliga and beyond
Borussia Dortmund faced St. Pauli in a match that looked lopsided on paper but required some genuine grit from the home side. Dortmund fans are used to the stress by now, aren't they? Hamburger SV also squared off against Borussia Mönchengladbach in a clash of two very different styles.
Lower League Grit: The EFL Results
You can’t talk about English football without looking at the Championship and League One. These are the games where the "real" drama often lives.
Ipswich and Blackburn was a proper battle. Watford and Millwall? Exactly the kind of physical, bruising encounter you’d expect from those two. Leicester City traveled to Coventry for an early kick-off that set the tone for a busy Saturday.
Wrexham, continuing their Hollywood-fueled rise, faced Norwich. It’s wild to see them competing at this level, but they aren't just there to make up the numbers.
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Why today's results actually matter
If you look at the table now, everything is shifting. Manchester United's win doesn't just give them three points; it gives them an identity they've been missing for months. For City, it’s a crisis of confidence. Guardiola doesn't usually lose his grip on games like this, and seeing them struggle to create clear-cut chances is a massive red flag for their title ambitions.
The relegation scrap is also tightening up. Burnley’s narrow loss to Liverpool shows they can compete, but "almost" doesn't keep you in the Premier League.
Actionable Insights for Football Fans
If you're following the action closely, here is what you should be watching for over the next 48 hours:
- Watch the post-match interviews: Specifically Michael Carrick. Everyone wants to know if this 4-2-3-1 setup is his permanent blueprint or a specific trap set for Pep.
- Check the injury reports: There were some heavy knocks in the Spurs/West Ham game. If you're a fantasy football manager, you need to see if Summerville's early exit was tactical or something more serious.
- Prepare for the Sunday fixtures: Arsenal will be watching these results with a massive grin. They play Nottingham Forest later, and the pressure is now firmly on them to capitalize on City’s slip-up.
For those tracking the broader European races, keep an eye on the goal difference shifts in Serie A. It’s becoming the tightest race in years.
Next Steps:
- Review the updated Premier League table to see how far Manchester United climbed.
- Look at the upcoming Sunday fixtures, specifically Arsenal vs. Nottingham Forest, to see if the Gunners extend their lead.
- Keep an eye on the injury updates for Manchester City's midfield before their next Champions League outing.